Gingerbread Iced Oatmeal Cookies (vegan, gluten free, oil free)
Dec 19, 2020 • Updated Jun 20, 2023
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This recipe for Gingerbread Iced Oatmeal Cookies is a healthier holiday baking recipe that’s vegan, gluten-free, and oil free, but full of delicious warming spices and topped with sweet icing.
If you’ve tried my Gingerbread Brownie Cookies, you’re going to love these Gingerbread Iced Oatmeal Cookies. This recipe is a festive twist on old-fashioned iced oatmeal cookies. They’re oaty and comforting with a thin layer of crisp icing on top.
Why You’ll Love These Healthier Holiday Cookies
Traditional iced oatmeal cookies are made with butter and eggs. However, this vegan and gluten free cookie is made with an almond butter base instead. The nut butter gives the cookies their chewy and soft center, crisp edges and golden brown tops (key for the icing on top!).
The cookies are sweetened with molasses and coconut sugar. Together, these sweeteners make the perfect, caramel flavour to pair with gingerbread spices. They are vegan, gluten free, and oil free as well.
How to Make Vegan Gingerbread Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Despite being gluten free and vegan, these cookies don’t require any specialty ingredients. Here’s what you need for the recipe:
- Rolled oats. These are key for texture! When you mix them into oat flour, they create a beautiful old fashioned icing pattern. Plus, they provide chewiness.
- Oat flour. My favourite gluten free flour! It’s great fo cookies because of the hearty texture and flavor.
- Almond butter. This is a great healthy fat source for healthier gingerbread cookies.
- Gingerbread spices. To take these cookies to the next level. Use a premade mix or mix your own with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves.
- Coconut sugar. With molasses, this sugar adds a nice caramel tone to the cookie.
- Molasses. You just can’t make gingerbread without it!
- Organic powdered sugar. Be sure to use organic to ensure your sugar is vegan friendly!
- Plant milk. Use any kind and only was much as you need to achieve the perfect cookie and icing texture.
Tips for success
The key to achieve the classic icing dip is to make sure the cookies have a decent amount of surface texture. This way, the icing sugar doesn’t coat the entire cookie top. It also distributes the sweetness perfectly so your cookies aren’t too sweet.
Make sure your cookies are cooled fully before adding the icing. Otherwise, it may melt right off.
Can I Skip the Gingerbread Spice?
You can certainly mix up the spice in your cookie dough. Instead of gingerbread spice, try cinnamon instead, and a pinch of nutmeg if you fancy. Cardamom is also delicious in baked goods this time of year.
Storing Holiday Cookies
You can make these cookies ahead of time and store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to three days. For longer storage, pop them into the freezer for up to three months. Defrost the cookies on the counter for a few hours and serve at room temperature.
These are a perfect make-ahead treat to bring to a cookie swap!
More Vegan Cookie Recipes
If you love these iced gingerbread cookies, try these recipes next:
- Gingerbread Brownie Cookies
- Almond Butter Gingerbread Cookies
- Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Single Serve Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Strawberry Matcha Sugar Cookies
- Chewy Chai Snickerdoodles
If you try this vegan gingerbread cookie recipe, tag me on Instagram @veggiekins so I can see your delicious re-creations and feature them! As always, I love when you share your reviews in the comments below, and if you make any fun substitutions, let me know how it worked out below too.
Gingerbread Iced Oatmeal Cookies (vegan, gluten free, oil free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup fine oat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp gingerbread spice
- 2/3 cup almond butter
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup molasses or maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup organic powdered sugar
- plant milk as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
- Add rolled oats to a food processor and pulse until broken down. Make sure not to break down too much, as you will want a good amount of texture.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together almond butter, coconut sugar, molasses and vanilla extract.
- Add puled oats, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and mix to combine until a dough forms. Add plant milk as needed by the tablespoon.
- Using a cookie scoop, form balls of dough and gently press down into cookie shapes, making sure the surface texture is fairly rough. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- Prepare icing by mixing powdered sugar with 1-2 tsp of plant milk in a large, shallow bowl. Start with less, and mix until a thick, but runny icing forms, adding more plant milk as needed.
- Once cookies are cool, gently dip the tops of cookies top down into the icing and quickly pull away. Place cookies on a cooling rack and let icing set. If the room temperature is warm or you're baking these in the summertime, you can also pop them into the fridge to speed up the setting.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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